1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle door subassembly, to a vehicle door, and to a method for making the vehicle door.
2. Background Art
Vehicle doors conventionally include a vehicle door outer structure on which vehicle door hardware and other components are mounted to provide door operating functions, and an inner trim panel is secured to the door outer structure to enclose the hardware and other door components. More specifically, a door latch actuator mechanism and a window regulator mechanism as well as a wire harness for controlling door locking and unlocking, power operated window movement, door rearview mirror adjustment, and on some vehicles seat adjustment, etc. are controlled by switches that function through the wire harness. Modular door assembly to facilitate door manufacturing has previously included a carrier member on which the vehicle door hardware and other door components are mounted for assembly to the door outer structure such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,785,585 Grier et al.; 4,882,842 Basson et al.; 5,095,659 Benoit et al.; 5,535,553 Staser et al.; 5,715,630 Szerdahelyi et al.; 5,805,402 Maue et al.; 5,819,473 Hashimoto et al.; 5,857,732 Ritchie; 5,867,942 Kowalski; 5,904,002; Emerling et al.; and 5,927,021 Kowalski et al.
Door component carrier members while permitting modular door assembly necessarily involved cost and also add weight to the assembled vehicle door.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved vehicle door subassembly that includes an inner trim panel having a lower trim panel portion and an upper trim panel portion. The lower and upper trim panel portions each include an exposed surface for facing inwardly toward to the vehicle occupant compartment after assembly to a vehicle door outer structure. The lower and upper trim panel portions each also include a hidden surface for facing toward the vehicle door outer structure after assembly thereto. Vehicle door hardware including a door latch actuator mechanism and a window regulator mechanism are mounted directly on the hidden surface of the lower trim panel portion of the inner trim panel.
The above construction of the vehicle door subassembly eliminates the need for a carrier and the consequent cost and weight involved with the use of such carriers as was the case in prior art vehicle doors.
In the preferred construction of the vehicle door subassembly, a wire harness is also mounted directly on the hidden surface of the lower trim panel portion of the inner trim panel. In addition, an audio speaker may also be directly mounted on the hidden surface of the lower trim panel portion of the inner trim panel. Furthermore, the upper trim panel portion of the inner trim panel of the vehicle door subassembly may also have a front end including a rearview mirror cover.
The preferred construction of the window regulator mechanism of the vehicle door assembly includes a pair of elongated window guides for supporting an associated door window for vertical movement. A pair of pivotal connection respectively mount the pair of window guides for pivotal movement to facilitate installation of the vehicle door subassembly on a vehicle door. A cable of the window regulator mechanism extends along each window guide between ends thereof and also extends between the pair of window guides in a crossing manner. The cable guides have a pair of window connectors respectively associated with the pair of window guides, with one of the window guides having an intermediate portion including a drive motor that drives the cable to move the window, and with the other window guide having an intermediate portion including a pulley over which the cable extends to facilitate the pivoting of the pair of window guides for installation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved vehicle door.
In carrying out the immediately preceding object, the vehicle door of the invention includes a metallic door outer structure having an inwardly facing side that faces toward the vehicle occupant compartment after assembly to the associated vehicle. An inner trim panel of the door includes a lower trim panel portion and an upper trim panel portion secured to the door outer structure. The lower and upper trim panel portions each include an exposed surface that faces inwardly toward the vehicle occupant compartment after assembly, and the lower and upper trim panel portions each also include a hidden surface that faces toward the vehicle door outer structure. Vehicle door hardware of the door includes a door latch actuator mechanism and a window regulator mechanism mounted directly on the hidden surface of the lower trim panel portion of the inner trim panel and also secured to the door outer structure.
In the preferred construction, the vehicle door also includes a vehicle wire harness mounted directly on the hidden surface of the lower trim panel portion of the inner trim panel. The vehicle door may also include an audio speaker mounted directly on the hidden surface of the lower trim panel portion of the inner trim panel. Furthermore, the upper trim panel portion may have a front end including a rearview mirror cover.
The preferred construction of the window regulator mechanism of the vehicle door includes a pair of elongated window guides for supporting an associated door window for vertical movement. A pair of pivotal connection respectively mount the pair of window guides for pivotal movement to facilitate installation of the vehicle door subassembly on a vehicle door. A cable of the window regulator mechanism extends along each window guide between ends thereof and also extends between the pair of window guides in a crossing manner. The cable guides have a pair of window connectors respectively associated with the pair of window guides, with one of the window guides having an intermediate portion including a drive motor that drives the cable to move the window, and with the other cable extends to facilitate the pivoting of the pair of window guides for installation.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for making a vehicle door.
In carrying out the immediately preceding object, the method for making a vehicle door in accordance with the invention includes mounting vehicle door hardware including a door latch actuator mechanism and a vehicle window regulator mechanism directly to an inner surface of a lower portion of an inner trim panel. Assembling of the lower portion of the inner trim panel and the door hardware to a metallic door outer structure in accordance with the invention is followed by finally securing an upper portion of the inner trim panel to the door outer structure above the lower portion of the inner trim panel.
In the preferred practice of the vehicle door making method of the invention, a wire harness is also mounted directly on the hidden surface of the lower trim panel portion of the inner trim panel.
The vehicle door making method is most preferably performed by having a lower extremity of the lower portion of the inner trim panel initially supported on a lower extremity of the outer door structure and the lower portion of the inner trim panel is subsequently pivoted into position for securement to the door outer structure. Furthermore, the upper portion of the inner trim panel is secured to the door outer structure with a front end having a rearview mirror cover.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.